


Every Kiss Calls For Another Kiss

by Dan13la



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Kisses, M/M, Oblivious Liam, POV Liam Dunbar, Slow Burn, Thiam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27642458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dan13la/pseuds/Dan13la
Summary: There had been all kinds of kisses.Accident.Mistake.Deviation.Nothing should have happened, but they happened - for good reasons, of course. It was just the circumstances! Liam was sure of it. It didn't mean that continuing to kiss Theo meant anything.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 22
Kudos: 132





	1. First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Chaque baiser appelle un autre baiser](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12195876) by [AsphodeleSauvage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsphodeleSauvage/pseuds/AsphodeleSauvage). 



**First kiss - Anger**

The first time Liam and Theo kissed ... Liam remembered it perfectly, even if he would never admit it out loud.

It had happened at the zoo, when they were trying to implement his plan, a plan that Liam was amazed to have come up with in one day. He had only woken up feeling that thirty tons weighed on him. He was in one of the zoo's labyrinthine corridors and was being carried on the shoulder by someone. Theo, he realized, smelling his perfume and recognizing ... he didn't really know what, maybe the gait, the smell, the feel of the skin or the dress, but something that was purely Theo's, Theo's without any doubt.

\- What happened? - he growled, stunned.

Theo stopped and took the time to take him off his shoulder to get him back on his feet. It wasn't really delicate, but it wasn't blunt either.

\- You almost killed one of your little classmates - the chimera calmly replied with his eternal smile that forced Liam to swallow his anger every time. - I had to knock you out. -

Liam groaned again, the memory returning little by little: Nolan, the hunters, the other boy's terrified gaze, his fist constantly falling on the wall next to him, and this devouring fury, this desire that finally someone pays....

\- Why didn't you let me finish? - he murmured unhappily.

Theo started walking again, shamelessly turning away from him. Liam sighed, but followed him.

\- It would have been completely counterproductive - Theo replied with a little arrogance.

\- I realized we were trying to get out of this war alive, not to be killed because you gave the hunters another reason to revenge -

\- They are already taking revenge - said Liam.

\- They fight to survive, that's all. -

Liam clenched his fists and stopped.

\- Why do you agree with what they do now? -

Theo turned back toward him, exasperated.

\- What do you think? That I want to die? Obviously not. But for them, their fight is fair and we're not going to solve the problem by killing a miserable frightened high school boy. We would just end up making things worse. -

Liam took a furious breath, trying to calm down - helplessly.

\- Oh yes? I can't believe  _you_ just say that. -

Theo's eyes narrowed, obviously upset.

\- I would like to be the first to say that eliminating the threat is the best way to get out of it alive, but you know like I do that it would be the dumbest thing to do ... that's what they expect from us. And turning yourself into a killer because you have a vengeance to carry out or because you have been beaten is the worst option. -

\- So we have to be victims? -

The fury was rising in Liam, impossible to restrain. That Theo knew what had happened to Brett and Lori and that he knew what Nolan and Gabe had done to him was unbearable. How dare he ... And he did nothing! Nothing ! Brett and Lori were dead, they were all going to die and he didn't care!

-I suppose that's normal, after all - he yelled, clenching his fists so hard that the claws sank into his palms. - You don't care that Brett and Lori are dead, you don't care that we're all doomed, you don't care about anything! The only thing you care about is yourself! -

\- Oh yeah? - Theo exclaimed with a wicked smile. - Explain to me why I'm here, supporting you in your stupid plan, when I may have already left Beacon Hills then? -

He was right, and that bothered Liam even more. He didn't know why, but he resented Theo. For hitting him to lure the hunters as intended, for following him in this stupid plan, for knocking him out, for being so unreliable, for being right, maybe for wanting to join the pack, being selfish, taking care of them.

\- Anyway - Liam continued - you will betray us as soon as you can. As soon as you have the opportunity to sell us to save your life, you will. People don't change, let alone people like you. -

Theo's eyes lit up with anger. Liam knew he had hurt him, and somehow that made him happy. Why should he be the only one to suffer, the only one to be guilty? And on the other hand, he felt even more repugnant to accuse the one person who was trying to implement his plan and help him.

-You need to calm down, - Theo said in his mildest tone. (It had to be, it was obvious. Why was he holding back? Why wasn't he going wild?) - Anger keeps you from being lucid. If this continues, the hunters will catch up with us. We need to keep walking. -

\- Let's avoid the topic, huh? - sneered the beta.

A small part of him was aware that the anger was talking now and that he had no real reason to be so angry. But he refused to listen to it.

\- Look, get out! - he shouted then - Leave me alone! I do not want to see you ever again ! I just want to get them all! All of them! -

He leapt forward, but Theo grabbed him barely, surrounding behind and preventing him from going to retaliate. Furious, Liam fought, kicked and struck in the air, flailing in all directions. Theo had a bad grip and was forced to let go. Suddenly, Theo was the perfect target to vent all this anger. Liam hated him for holding him back, for trying to reason with him, for being with him, and punched him in the face. The  _crack_ emitted from the chimera's nose when it broke was an intense satisfaction for him, as did Theo's eyes that lit up.

The chimera began to grab his arms, but Liam pushed him violently, watching him fly off into the distance, his face full of blood. Theo hit him almost immediately as Liam joined him. Liam threw a punch that nearly missed Theo, destroying a section of the wall instead. Theo pushed him violently against the wall, Liam pushed him back. The beta grabbed his jacket, ready to destroy it with his claws. Theo grabbed his arms and for a few seconds they were content to carry out assaults on each other and brutally push themselves away. Liam grabbed Theo's throat, Theo picked it up and then tried to knock him out again. They fought for a few more seconds, beating each other, fists hitting each other in the chest, claws scratching their cheeks, Liam grabbing Theo's hair and Theo lifting Liam's hands over his head;

and suddenly, Liam didn't know how, they found themselves kissing harshly.

They were continuing the fight, in a way. Their tongues clashed, each claiming dominance over the other. They pushed each other as close as possible. Theo bit his lip and Liam pulled his hair, tilting his head. Theo's claws pierced his back as they exchanged a savage kiss.

When they finally separated, out of breath, none of them had really won. Liam was stunned by what had just happened and saw in his eyes that Theo was as confused as he was. But the chimera, unlike him, seemed to have regained clarity. His gaze was more fixed, more resolute. Liam threw up his hands, not knowing exactly if he should face him or not now, and not knowing if he was still furious ...

And suddenly everything went black.

Everything was then lost in a dark and colorful mixture of exchanged blows, claws and fangs, violence and anger. Everything was blurry, but when Liam woke up in the passenger seat of Theo's car, he thought confused that the same scene had happened over and over again. He hit Theo, Theo reacted, knocked him out and carried him further each time, to save him from the hunters.

He could only be grateful for what Theo had done for him. 

But there was that kiss ... obviously, it had been just the heat of the moment, like one more attack, an unleashing of violence so intense it had taken on more aggressive and insidious forms. They had devoured each other rather than kissed. Liam wasn't sure how he felt, other than extremely embarrassed.

So he pretended to not remember anything.

For his part, Theo didn't even say a word about what had happened.

It was as if nothing had happened.


	2. Second Kiss

**Second kiss - Anguish**

Liam had more or less managed to forget what had happened at the zoo. Theo's calm demeanor in the car that night had led him to believe it was just a mistake made in the heat of the moment. He couldn't figure out which one of them started it, but it wasn't very important.

Soon he had something else to think about. Mason and Lydia had been shot - along with Melissa and Rafael McCall - and Liam was spending time with Mason and Lydia in the hospital. Mason needed support and Lydia was happy to have someone readily agree to read her fashion magazines.

Liam then more or less pushed the kiss he shared with Theo deep into his mind. He thought about it sometimes, whenever he thought about Theo, but he preferred not to dwell on it. He didn't know how he should have considered it and, in the end, it was just embarrassing. Also, Theo himself didn't mention it - because it meant nothing at all.

And then there was that time in high school.

It had been a very long day. Liam had beaten Gabe to find out the identity of the hunter who shot the McCall house. Theo had appeared and dissuaded him - God knew how - from killing Gabe. Liam didn't know if that bothered him or if he was grateful again. An absurd combination of the two, probably. Gabe showed them the mutilated bodies of supernatural creatures, kept in a freezer. Theo and Liam then called Scott and Malia to show them the result, after coming to the terrible conclusion that Aaron was looking for his second half.

The other three were gone, but Theo and Liam stayed there, in this room, trying to list what options were available to find the second part of the Anuk-ite - and stop the first.

Liam didn't know exactly why, but Theo's presence was reassuring. Even though they had made a list that made no sense and certainly wouldn't help them defeat the new killer creature that had appeared. Scott and Malia were busy recruiting allies; they had to take care of the Anuk-ite. He was happy to know he wasn't alone with these mutilated bodies, this creature prowling and his remorse gnawing inside him.

\- First of all - Theo repeated - we will have to find more information about the Anuk-ite. How to prevent the two sides from meeting? How to defeat him in case they join? What is its power? -

\- Deaton was unable to give us more details, yet he is the specialist - Liam muttered, defeated.

\- If I understand correctly, this creature is one of a kind - replied Theo - It is logical that not much is known about it. Rather, we should focus on what we know about the Wild Hunt and the means at its disposal to stop such a creature. "

What Theo said was just common sense, but Liam still felt his mouth dry.

\- They were supernatural undead, impossible to kill - he replied slowly. - You remember how we struggled to kill just a handful of them"

Theo looked up, curious.

\- We are supernatural too, - he smiles. - The McCall pack is impossible to kill too. And some of us have even returned from the dead. I think we have our chances. -

Liam might as well be amused by his answer if the situation were less critical.

"They were a whole army! Thousands, millions perhaps! They were able to wipe someone off the face of the Earth and they had Hellhounds! We … -

\- We have a hellhound, too - Theo replied. - We have several werewolves, a werewolf coyote, chimeras, guns and a Banshee. I say we  _do_ have our chances. -

\- You say it because you are convinced or because you are trying to reassure me? - Liam replied, his voice becoming uncomfortably loud.

Theo raised his eyebrows, amused. - Why should I try to reassure you? -

\- For the same reason you stopped me from killing Nolan and Gabe? -

Theo crossed his arms, showing off his eternal grin. - Think what you want.

\- We have no chance! - Liam exclaimed. - We are too few and we are too weak. And even against the hunters ... we have nothing, no allies, no one, and there are dozens, hundreds of them! They recruit a little more every day! To defeat the Anuk-ite, you must have already defeated the hunters! And to defeat the hunters, you must have already defeated the Anuk-ite! -

Theo glanced sideways to the freezer at the end of the room.

\- I knew this creature would affect you too. -

\- Brett and Lori are dead! - Liam shouted. - Tiang and Jierney are missing! You have been kidnapped and tortured! Several other high school people were massacred by this creature! Tell me how we can get out of it! We can not survive! -

His hands trembled, shaken by violent tremors, and shivering with all limbs. He was cold and had difficulty breathing.

\- Liam, calm down, Theo ordered. - You're not the one talking. It is this creature that affects you. -

\- No! How do you think I can calm down? - panted Liam.

Theo shook him slightly, then harder, staring him straight in the eye.

\- We'll survive, okay? They are just inexperienced hunters and a monster in search of his soul mate. We survived the Beast of Gevaudan, the Ghost Riders and a Nazi werewolf, there's no reason why ... -

\- No! - Liam exclaimed, despite his aching chest and the tears streaming down his cheeks. - I don't want others to die, but they will die! I don't want to, not yet! I ... - 

He was then silenced by two lips that crashed into his. He was so stunned that he was slow to realize they were Theo's. Theo, kissing him. It was light, fleeting, delicate, barely a lip pressure. Enough to stand there, mentally discuss whether to respond to this kiss or not, and wonder why exactly Theo was kissing him. Maybe not in that order. Or maybe yes ...

It was very short. Theo walked away a few seconds later and looked at him with a satisfied smile, before returning to his list. His smile never left him.

\- What ... uh ... why? - Liam asked, astonished by the kiss as well as by Theo's casual attitude.

\- To overcome panic attacks, you have to surprise those who suffer from them, - Theo replied softly. - Typically, you go for a kiss or a slap. Knowing your past with fists, I thought a kiss would be more effective and less dangerous for me. - He winked at Liam who was staring at him, stunned. - Obviously it worked. -

Liam took a moment before realizing that in fact he was no longer panicked. On the contrary, he felt completely exhausted and even a little softened. As if in a dream, he sat down next to Theo and began completing their list, feeling completely confused.

It was already the second time they kissed. Theo had  _chosen_ to kiss him. 

Liam could no longer pretend he wasn't a little affected.


	3. Third Kiss

**Third kiss. Anxiety.**

The third time was a mistake. A pure and simple mistake, nothing more. They were motivated only by despair and fear, and in those circumstances, they needed human warmth, contact, feeling alive and it just happened that they were there when the other needed it the most.

_The Anuk-ite is really strong_ . It was the message Liam had received from Mason that evening. The Beta was quick to send him a message of panic in return:  _Are you hurt?_ A few seconds passed before Mason replied:  _a little, but that's okay. Theo took me home. What about you and Scott? Found something?_

Liam sighed, remembering the horrible images. Mrs. Finch was distressed to discover that her daughter was dead and the horror of discovering that not only had they told her without delicacy, but that she was also Quinn - the kind and frightened girl they had met during the siege of the station. Liam couldn't help but think about it. It was obvious. They were looking for an ultra-powerful creature that had taken the form of a werewolf. How could they not have thought of Quinn, a werewolf who miraculously survived a bullet in her head?

If it was just that, he might have been able to recover from tonight, but no, there would be the rest. He felt tired, overwhelmed and scared. The whole story has taken on too large proportions.

_Yes, we found it. Long story. Things get complicated_ , he replied.

_Do you want to spend the night with me?_ Mason suggested.  _You, me and Theo, we can sum up what we know._

It was a Mason’s typical thing, that one. Organized and rational even in a crisis situation,  _especially_ in a crisis situation. He wanted to accept. He didn't want to be alone, not tonight. He wanted to talk about what he had seen. But there was Theo. And Liam had been trying to avoid Theo since last time in high school. There were already enough weird things in his life, he didn't want to add another one. He couldn't understand why those two kisses had taken place, which was annoying, and they already had too many problems to focus on such a trivial topic. The best thing was to stop thinking about it - and too bad for the part of him that wanted Theo to have been with him in the school library, it was frustrating.

Eventually, he accepted the invitation. His parents weren't home, and he felt like that, if he was alone, he didn't know what was going to happen, and most of all he didn't want to know.

Mason's leg was slightly damaged. Theo had been just scratched by the creature. Beyond that, they were doing pretty well, except they looked shocked. Liam told them what he had seen in high school: Quinn and Aaron find each other, kiss and fight until the Anuk-ite was finally together again. The other two listened to him in silence. Mason looked horrified. Theo's brows were frowning, he looked tired, but he kept thinking quickly about the problem.

Corey arrived before they came to the inevitable conclusion - that they couldn't win - and Mason disappeared with him, intending to heal his leg - or, more likely, to gain ten minutes of cuddling and kissing, knowing that Mason had already done everything possible to take care of his wound. So Liam and Theo remained there, alone, sitting on the sofa in the living room of the Hewitt house, in silence.

Liam felt terribly embarrassed. What should he say to someone he kissed twice - someone who kissed him once - when there was nothing between them? 

But Theo just looked exhausted, and a thousand miles away from thinking about what had happened. Which was good, Liam decided. He felt too dejected to think about such a complicated subject, and anyway, those kisses were just isolated incidents with no meaning.

\- Was it that powerful? - asked the beta.

Theo nodded. Their eyes met and Liam read a shock he had never seen in Theo. It was almost that, the scariest thing of all. Theo had been afraid of the Beast; the Beast was an invincible monster capable of killing hundreds of people in a few days. Theo had feared the Ghost Riders - it had been impossible to defeat them. Did Theo fear the Anuk-ite? It was bad, very bad.

\- I should be a chimera - commented Theo. - I am tougher than a normal werewolf and have only managed to save my life. I didn't hurt him. It impaled itself on my claws by itself, and it didn't even weaken it.

He looked hallucinating, as if he were faced with something he couldn't understand.

Liam rubbed his forehead. His heart sank.

\- I tried to fight it, it didn't work. I just ... flew through the air. And it was only the unreconstituted part. Lydia told me ... Apparently now just looking at him is enough to die.

A dismayed silence greeted his words.

Liam looked up at Theo - Do you think we can beat him?

\- Certainly ... There must be a weakness somewhere - the chimera replied, thinking. - All creatures have a weakness -

_Even a creature that only the Wild Hunt was able to imprison? And not even for eternity?_ Liam thought. He didn't need to express his thoughts aloud to know that the idea hung between them, insidious and hopeless.

Were they all ruined? How to defeat both a monster and an army of hunters fueled by mad hatred? He didn't want to die ... he wanted to go back to that period of his life when everything was fine, where every day that passed was not threatened by the shadow of a threat, where he didn't have a calendar on which to cross out the days when he was able to to survive, rather than the days that separated him from the summer vacation ...

He could see the same anguish in Theo's eyes. The chimera hid his emotions, of course, and an average observer wouldn't read anything special about it ... But now Liam did learn how to decipher Theo? Or did Theo open up a little? In any case, he felt the same desperation, the same anguish as him.

Suddenly, Liam felt the dazzling and overwhelming need not to feel alone anymore. He wanted someone with him right there - he wanted Theo to be close to him. He wanted to feel his warmth, to know that he was breathing and that his heart was beating, that they were alive. He felt that Theo's arms around him would ensure that there was still a future. He needed it.  _Now_ .

And here it is. He was kissing Theo again, unless Theo was kissing him. They were pressed against each other, so close that their torsos were glued together. Liam felt his heart beating against his chest, it was the best feeling in the world. Theo was warm. His arms were comfortable. His mouth was soft, his tongue sparked all over his body - he finally felt alive.

It was good, it was amazing, he never wanted to stop. He wanted more, more ...

And they jumped away when they heard a glass fall and break in the kitchen.

"Oh, no," Corey's voice moaned.

Liam felt a sudden smell of annoyance for the chameleon before realizing what he had just done. He had just kissed Theo. Again. He wanted it - he  _liked it_ .

Theo looked back as dazed as he was: he was at a loss for words too. Then Corey returned to the room, all smiles, closely followed by Mason, leaning on a crutch - and life returned to normal. They devoured the cookies without saying a word, watched a program on TV without actually watching it, then set to work on plans to solve the threats looming over their heads. 

Theo acted naturally. Liam too. As if nothing had happened.

Liam barely listened to what was being said, his mind was light years away. He quickly left and went home, confused.

Had he been the one to throw himself at Theo? Or was it Theo who kissed him? In his memory, it was rather as if their lips had found themselves naturally, without hesitation. Did they want to kiss at the same time?

No, by the way, it was just a need: since they needed comfort and presence, they needed to reassure themselves, and Theo was where Liam needed him the most to forget and hope, and Liam had been there when Theo needed, for the first time of course, to be reassured and not to feel alone ... That's all, that's it ... Difficult times call for drastic measures, right? Obviously, it was strange that Theo was his remedy ... Even though it would have been really strange for him to kiss Mason, Corey, Scott or someone else ... It was just that he was feeling lonely and lost now that Hayden was not there...

Liam tried to forget that Theo had still brought him the comfort he needed. That he felt safe. That he had felt good. That Theo had awakened many strange sensations within him. And, in fact, he shouldn't even have thought that it was so damn good to kiss Theo.

But his lips were delicious.

But it was just that - a desperate measure in desperate times - Theo had been a practical tool, as repulsive as this method might seem ...

So it was best not to think about it. Every other sensation was parasitic.


	4. Forth Kiss

**Fourth kiss: Gratitude? Adrenaline? Encouragement? Concern? Challenge? Something else? (We'll answer when Liam understands what it is.)**

He kept thinking about it.

Really, he couldn't help it.

And he kept pushing Theo out of his mind as much as possible. Sometimes it was simple: after all, they had two wars on their hands to face and a constant threat loomed over their heads. And the rest of the time ... it was complicated. Because, of course, he couldn't help but think about Theo and wonder if he was okay, if he was safe.

And sometimes Theo was there, in front of him. With his green eyes, his brown hair falling over his eyes, his mischievous smile - which Liam had sometimes seen full of sincerity and silent amusement, like that night, in the car, after knocking him out five times at the zoo .

Liam couldn't help but think that they had kissed - three times already - and that ... it was creepy,  _geez_ ! Even if it was nothing more than reflections, however, it was disturbing. And it was Theo, Theo Raeken. Besides, it was weird. It is inexplicable. And unexpected, improper and a whole host of other adjectives that made this situation definitely beyond Liam's reach. He hated it.

He also hated to think that he would like Theo to be there when he was alone in the hospital, with an army of hunters ready to end his short life. Really. It was hard to admit, but he wished he had someone there ... Theo, for example ... who had an idea or would help him implement yet another stupid plan. Last time, they faced the Ghost Riders in this hospital. They shouldn't have been successful, yet they had. Besides, the chimera was powerful.

And Theo was probably the person in the pack who understood the most how he felt. The only one who had managed to calm him down.

And suddenly Theo was there. When Liam least expected it. A second earlier, he was running to the elevator as Gabe aimed him with his rifle, ready to shoot him. The next second, the doors swung open with a "ding!" and strong, huge arms grabbed him from behind - very strong arms - and he was hastily lifted, pulled into the elevator, pressed against the wall by Theo protecting him from the bullets.

Liam felt his heart pounding in his chest. He was flabbergasted. He stared at Theo, out of breath.

\- What are you doing here?!

Theo took off his beanie. Why was he wearing a beanie? Liam didn't know, but it was fine with it. He preferred not to dwell on it.

"I was just asking myself the same thing," Theo replied, a little sharp, but he seemed as lost as he was.

Liam wanted to kiss him. Right here, right now. 

It was devouring him. He didn't know why. Blood was running in his veins, his heart was beating fast, he was out of breath and Theo had just saved his life. Theo was there. He wanted something, he didn't know what. The bullet holes echoed against the metal door of the elevator. Liam was terrified. He could have been dead by now.

He could only stare at Theo, bewildered. Why was he there?

Liam came to himself. This was not the right time. By the way, it was inappropriate. Theo was nothing to him, nothing at all. Okay, he was a damn good kisser. Okay, he was nice. But they had something else to do - even more important this time - and it was crazy anyway. Right?

Dumb. Dumb. DUMB!

It was better to concentrate. 

Silence reigned upstairs. Were the hunters gone? Unlikely. 

Liam listened. He felt them move, cocking their guns with the utmost discretion, which wasn't enough to hide from a werewolf, however. On the other hand, maybe they didn't really care that Theo and Liam knew they were there.

Speaking of Theo, by the way ...

\- Are they still there? - the chimera asked 

Liam nodded, unable to take his eyes off Theo's. They stared at each other for a few moments. Liam didn't know what to say. It was awkward. The situation between them was so much embarrassing.

"I won't die for you," Theo warned him.

Liam felt his heart skip a beat. He wanted Theo to stay alive. But didn't Theo care if he lived or died?

"I won't die for you either," Liam replied with determination.

Great. He didn’t care about him? So also Liam could not care about Theo's fate.

They shared glances. Liam felt his heart beating in his chest. It was painful. There was something ... something in the air between them. He couldn't define it, but it was there. It was heavy. It was overwhelming.

Suddenly Liam saw it clearly. Theo looked away from his eyes and - yes, Liam wasn't hallucinating. Theo was staring at his lips. 

His heart leapt. Theo ... Did Theo want to kiss him? Liam found the idea as embarrassing as it was arousing. Part of him wanted to scream "come on, kiss me! Kiss me, stupid!” 

The other part ... was perplexed.

Liam felt  _intensely_ this ‘something’ hanging between them.

He preferred to look away, annoyed. He wasn't attracted to Theo, no. Theo was only there when he needed it! And yes, kissing Theo was nice. Because, well, it was Theo. Theo was objectively sexy and attractive.

But can Theo be ... attracted to him in return? No way! He had to be wrong.

Everything bothered him suddenly. In the end Theo was so annoying! He kept saving his life, but he didn't care that Liam died! He kissed him and acted like nothing had happened! He kissed him well, and ... only that was frustrating. And now Liam regretted saying what he said. He felt pissed off because he  _cared_ for Theo, he didn't want Theo to  _die_ . But he didn't want to worry about him. He didn't want to have any connection with him. He didn't want it but he knew he wanted it. So much for an headache!

Theo was good at this.

"But I'll fight with you," he added bitterly.

He didn't want to die for Theo. He didn't even want Theo to die for him. He just wanted them both to live. He didn't want one to die for the other, he wanted them to fight  _together_ , on the same side.

They stared at each other again. Theo took a deep breath. 

Liam could feel his anguish.

"Okay," Theo agreed, as if he had mentally solved the question. - Let's fight. -

And suddenly Liam couldn’t help it. In a second, he pushed Theo against the elevator wall, grabbing his shirt at shoulder height and pressing his lips against his.

He thought the chimera would push him away. Instead, Theo kissed him back eagerly, pressing his hands on his hips and hugging him tightly. It confirmed what Liam had already thought he sensed. Theo really wanted to kiss him. And now it was done. They were kissing.  _Again_ .

Liam couldn't pretend he didn't like it.

The first time had been harsh. The second, he barely felt: too fleeting, too delicate. The third had had the strength of despair. This was something else. There was the warmth of the moment, there was concern, there was as much passion as tenderness - a tenderness that was a little wild, like a wild horse that is difficult to control. It was powerful and filled Liam with courage. It could have lasted a second or years.

They parted, panting, looking in each other's eyes. For once, he didn't feel lost. He felt strongly determined and could see the same determination in Theo's eyes. As if this impromptu kiss had given them courage and confidence - in themselves as in the other.

But now was not the time.

\- Good luck - he told Theo.

Part of him meant: survive

Theo smiled. He understood. He pulled out claws and fangs: Theo Raeken was back.

The elevator opened and they threw themselves on the hunters, roaring.

It had certainly been their best fight. They were in sync,  _perfectly_ in sync with each other.

Liam's hands didn't miss Theo's hands pushing him forward when another hunter shot him from behind - as if to push him further, preventing him from being hit. He couldn't help but notice Theo's smell of pain when a bullet hit his shoulder.

He felt Theo's concern as he fought against Gabe.

Something was undoubtedly happening.

Something was happening to him. When he saw Theo take Gabe's pain - a gesture of sincere compassion, delicately crafted - he felt something burn inside him. Or something that has melted and liquefied.

If it wasn't for Melissa and Nolan, and Mason and Corey - if Gabe wasn't dead - Liam was pretty sure he would jump on Theo to kiss him again.

He wasn't sure what this meant.


	5. Fifth Kiss

  


**Fifth kiss. Relief.**

Liam would never have believed there would be another one just a bunch of hours after this fourth kiss. In fact, he hadn't had time to think about it. There were so many things to do. Treat the wounded - yes, even the hunters -, take the bodies to the morgue, tidy up the hospital, thank Nolan and come to terms with him, congratulate Melissa and ask her to never use her taser on him, enjoying with Mason and Corey the simple feeling of being alive ...

Yet that kiss happened. Theo and Liam found themselves at the corner of a corridor. Melissa had just removed the bullet from Theo's shoulder.

\- It hurts? - Liam asked.

He was so tired he didn't even have the strength to feel embarrassed. He was standing in front of Theo and, strangely, there was no embarrassment, for once. It just felt good. Relieving. It was natural.

Theo shook his head.

\- Nah. I also shoot better than that. -

Liam couldn't stop a chuckle from passing his lips.

\- I'm glad you made it out

"I'm glad I didn't have to die to save your butt," Theo replied.

Liam still felt that, despite all his sourness, Theo was genuinely happy. Liam smiled at him and was happy when Theo answered him sincerely, for once.

His phone beeped.

\- Any news? - Theo asked curiously.

Liam read the message and felt joy invade him. He looked up, a huge smile on his lips.

\- It's ... it's Scott! Everyone is alive! The Anuk-ite has been destroyed ... The police and the FBI have taken over the city ... The hunters have all been arrested ... Monroe has ran. It's over. We won. -

Theo looked at him, his eyes widening like his mouth. A smile spread his lips. An incredulous smile. A smile of pure happiness and relief.

"We won," he repeated. "We are all alive"

Liam burst out laughing and couldn't help but hug Theo with all his strength, just happy with the situation. It was over.  _Over_ . They had survived. They were safe. He never thought he would be so happy one day.

They laughed, they just enjoyed being alive and kissed and laughed and kissed again. It was confused and messy, they were simple kisses on the lips of the other, but it was enough, and it was the best thing in the world. They were intertwined and shared the simple happiness of being alive.

Liam decided not to ask questions. He was just happy. Stupidly happy.


	6. Sixth Kiss

**Sixth kiss. Strategy.**

It took several weeks for Liam to see Theo again. Very, very  _long_ weeks. Two and a half months, to be exact.

Not that it mattered. But actually, he wondered where Theo had gone. Or at least, because they never crossed again. Liam had a lot to do. He had to lead his lacrosse team, continue reconciliation with the humans they needed to prove that werewolves were people like them. He was busy with his studies, which he had largely neglected during the war in Beacon Hills. He was supposed to witness a series of werewolf burials, in support of other packs in the area, some of which had been severely mown, and help rebuild them, with Scott's help. It was also necessary to find Monroe, who disappeared into thin air but Liam knew she was preparing a bad shot and make sure he didn't have too much trouble with Argent's allied hunters,

so Liam didn't have much time to think about it, but he really wondered where Theo was and what he was doing. Scott had told him that Theo had to find work and housing and that, incidentally, he was working more or less as a henchman for Scott, looking for traces of Monroe in the area.

Liam wouldn't admit it to the world, but he missed Theo a little. His eternal mocking expression, his pragmatism and sarcasm, his genius wit and his company were missing from Liam. He loved Mason and Corey, but never had the opportunity to thank Theo for saving his life, comforting and calming him when he needed it, or even clearing up that incomprehensible kissing situation.

That was the good part of Theo's absence. Liam didn't need to feel uncomfortable or wonder what to do in front of him. Nor did he feel the need to question the true nature of what had been, other than a series of mistakes and accidents. It was a relief.

On the other hand, he was quite angry. Theo had disappeared from his life without saying a word. Not a text message to say where he was or to ask if Liam was okay. Not a call to only talk a little!

Liam thought they were getting closer. Naively, of course. He had thought that after everything they'd done together ... They'd been chased by Ghost Riders, escaped and slaughtered them together. They had sown the hunters in a maze, with a messy plan. Together they had discovered the motivations of the Anuk-ite. They had fought alone - or almost alone - the final battle against the hunters and they had survived.

And Theo had helped him calm down, focus ... he had saved his life ... they had confided in each other, they had kissed  _five_ times! Liam would have thought it meant something to the chimera: that they had gotten close, that they had finally become friends. But apparently that wasn't the case. It was disappointing. It itched Liam like a parasite, an obsession that would never go out of his mind. Which was even more annoying.

It was a Theo thing, that one. Able to irritate people for his very existence, even when he was not around.

And then Theo is back. He had never come to pack meetings, even when the senior members had returned - Derek and Stiles, for example, but also that Jackson and a boy named Ethan that Liam didn't know very well. And then, here he is! As if by magic, at the next meeting, Theo just showed up, asking Liam: "Did you miss me?"

Liam had wanted to punch him in the jaw.

Asshole.

Some, like Stiles and Malia, had welcomed Theo without trying to mask their disgust. Scott had been more playful - although Liam had a lingering feeling that Scott felt obliged to be kind, and perhaps that had bothered him a little. Lydia had simply ignored his arrival. Mason and Corey had asked practical questions and asked Theo if he was okay. Derek frowned and asked, "Who is h?" (Liam laughed so hard when he saw Theo's annoyed expression.) The others didn't really care.

And Theo had turned to Liam, with a big smile on his face, and had filled Liam with bitterness. Two and a half months without news, after all the battles they had faced together, and the other had returned as if it were to please Liam!

\- Well, are you back yet? - he just told him.

He would have liked to appear cold and distant, but he kinda sounded aggressive, which made it quite pathetic.

Theo had narrowed his eyes. Liam would have given everything to be able to decipher his expression, right there, right away.

Liam had only listened to Theo's report for a short while. It was all about tracking, clues, blah-blah-blah. Eventually, he left without asking and without turning around, and if he was to be honest, he probably left a little too quickly, but he couldn't be in this room while Theo pretended that everything was normal. This was the most abnormal situation in the world.

They had kissed several times. Was it normal? No.

Theo had saved his life. Was it normal? No.

Theo had disappeared without a word for over two months. Was it normal? Hell no!

But of course no one really understood why Liam was so mad. How could they understand?

He was pretty sure Theo had called him out of the vet clinic. He was ninety-nine percent sure: the remaining percentage was the possibility that he wanted to hear it and missed Theo so much that he was starting to hallucinate. However, it was out of the question for him to stop and listen. Theo was an asshole, that's all. He had gone with his head held high and  _unfortunately_ destroyed half of his mother's silverware by doing the dishes that same evening, that’s just how angry Theo had made him.

Since then, he had made sure he was not in Theo's presence longer and more often than necessary.

"It's not like I'm  _avoiding him_ " Liam insisted.

"Seems like that to me" Corey said, frowning.

Inevitably, Mason and Corey had to get involved. It was Tuesday night, they were supposed to study together in the high school library, and these two found nothing better to do than question him about what was going on with Theo.

"It's just that we're alright now," the Beta said peremptorily when he opened his math book. - Now that the war is over, we no longer have to force ourselves to cooperate. - 

Mason and Corey shared a knowing look.

"That is to say that for him it goes beyond "forcing you to cooperate" Mason explained.

" What? Are we already at the point where he intends to cut me in two? "Liam joked.

Corey looked sad.

"But you saw it, right, in the hospital, when he took Gabe's pain ... He changed.”

\- You were the most moved among us, besides, if my memories are correct - Mason insisted.

Corey nodded quickly.

"In any case, the problem is not this" Mason said. "Keep asking us for news."

\- Really? - Liam wondered.

He couldn't pretend he wasn't taken by surprise.

"Not just us, by the way" Corey said, "but I think that we're the only ones who really noticed."

" Why should he care about me?" Liam muttered.

"Only you can know," Mason replied.

Liam felt fire in his cheeks and hurried to turn the pages of his book. He was because they had kissed? Many times?

So what? Theo would suddenly decide that Liam deserved a closer look after two and a half months in which he pretended Liam didn’t exist? All because of a poor handful of kisses that should never have happened?

"If he really cared, he would have contacted me during the time he left," he hissed between his teeth.

Corey and Mason shared a knowing look again. Liam got the awkward feeling that they had just figured out something he was missing completely. Sometimes they could be incredibly annoying. Not as much as Theo - no one could be more annoying than Theo - but still.

"Anyway," Mason said, "Theo needs someone for a mission tonight."

\- Good for him. -

\- You're a volunteer. - 

Liam raised his eyebrows. - Uh … I’m not. -

"Yes," Corey said, wryly.

\- I'm telling you I’m not. And bu the way, how do you know? - 

\- He talked about it earlier.

\- Since when are you friends?

Mason smiles again.

\- We work together, that's all. In short. At 8 pm tonight. I'll send you the address. -

\- But ... but wait! - Liam exclaimed when he saw them get up as if their task was done. - I'm not a volunteer! I don't want to go on a mission with Theo!

Mason sighed.

\- Look, Liam, I would be the first to save you from a mission with Theo, but first of all, you make a great team, second, no one else is available, so it was decided that it would be you, and third, we need a united pack, okay? There is a problem between you two and you need to solve it. - 

\- Maybe it's just a misunderstanding - Corey smiles apologetically. - Anyway, he was very pleased that it was you.

That was a basic and easy way to handle it. But if Corey thought he would convince Liam, he was right. Liam felt flattered as well as irritated.

*

He met Theo at dusk. The chimera was waiting, his arms leaning against a wall. He greeted him with a mocking smile.

\- It was about time - 

Liam stared at him.

\- Ok, where?

Theo raised his hands.

\- So you are nervous tonight! Did you have a bad day or what?

\- My day went well until I had to spend some time with you.

Theo pursed his lips.

\- That was rude

\- I don't care. Just tell me where we're going and what we need to do, "Liam replied in his sharpest tone.

It was a birthday party for a teenager whose father was one of the hunters. Theo planned to take the opportunity to rummage through his studio - he was an entrepreneur who is a member of the gun lobby - and retrieve the information they needed to protect themselves

\- Can you explain to me why do you need me here? - Liam asked when they stepped into the house.

the strobes almost immediately gave him headache: the smell of alcohol, sweat and mixed hormones burned his nose, but Theo, on the other hand, was composed as usual

\- Do I really have to remind you that this guy is close to the hunters? I’m not going to risk alone.

Liam had to admit, deep down, that Theo was right.

"Then I'll watch your back," he said reluctantly.

Theo smiles at him. They stood there in the middle of the dance floor, staring at each other. Liam thought they must look like two stupid idiots, looking into each other's eyes without saying anything or doing anything. The goal was to blend  _in_ . Liam sighed loudly, then decided to take drastic measures. He didn't want to be found suspicious.

\- Wanna dance? - he forced himself to ask.

\- Gladly - Theo smiles. - I love enterprising guys.

Liam hated him with all his being.

They spent the first hour mingling in the crowd. Liam danced with a girl or two, agreed to have a few glasses of alcohol which didn't have the slightest effect on him and saw Theo do the same.  _Obviously_ , Theo was an excellent dancer. Liam didn't get a chance to _actually_ dance with him because they were immediately separated by the crowd, but it was obvious. He had rhythm in his blood. It was also very popular with the entire female population. No, but frankly, the werewolf thought, mechanically drinking the contents of another glass. Theo was the worst moron. What an idea to get noticed like this! Three quarters of the girls had already noticed his presence and were giggling, pointing at him. And he must have danced with half of them already! He was glad he hadn't found it useful to roll a shirt in the middle of the dance floor or take them to a room! The goal was to be discreet, damn it, blend in, not become the life of the party!

\- Well, are you back finally? - he joked when Theo dropped beside him.

"And you didn't leave the bar," observed the chimera. "Do you know you won't get drunk no matter how many drinks you drink?"

Liam grunted something indistinct, ready to take another sip of pure defiance. Theo took his glass and drank it.

\- Hey! That’s  _my_ drink - Liam protested.

\- It's the owners glass, technically. -

\- I drank it.

\- Well, you won't drink it anymore.

\- What if I want to?

\- I'll stop you.

\- You can’t

\- I'm full of resources.

Liam couldn't help but smile.

\- I forgot how much I always want to punch you in the face.

Theo looked at him. There was something about his expression that was terribly ... Liam couldn't have said what exactly it was, but it made him want to hug him or photograph it to immortalize it. A little of both, perhaps.

\- I had not forgotten - the chimera just said.

\- Oh really? - Liam retorted, unable to remove the bitterness from his words. - So you were pretending great -

Theo looked surprised.

\- What ...

\- Okay, what's the plan? - Liam interrupted before they engaged in a discussion that he absolutely did not want to have.

He began to get up, but Theo's hand tugged at his sleeve to force him to sit down again.

\- No. First, you will explain what is happening.

\- What? That you’re an asshole? - Liam suggested.

\- Apart from that.

\- I think that's the whole point, actually.

Theo blinked, his gaze didn't let go of Liam's.

"You are mad at me," he said.

"Yeah, and I want to break your nose," Liam confirmed.

\- For the fourth time?

Liam really tried to stop himself. He suppressed his smile as much as possible, but literally burst out laughing. How did Theo manage to be so annoying and also ... also ... In short, being able to relax Liam even in the worst situations?

\- You could have called - the werewolf finally released .

Theo looked confused.

\- Call?

\- Yes. You know, what normal people do when they have a cell phone and friends they don't see very often?

Theo opened his mouth slightly, staring at Liam with narrowed eyes.

\- Why did you want me to call you?

What?

Liam was amazed for a few seconds. Had he heard right? This suggested that Theo had wanted to call him, but had thought that Liam no longer wanted to have any connection with him. Was it true? Could Liam give him that impression? Maybe ... 

After all, he hadn't called him either ... because he was furious that he hadn't called him ... Maybe each of them had been waiting for the other's call like a perfect idiot ... 

it seemed completely stupid, all this situation.

Or Theo didn't care and wanted to pass the blame on Liam. So why ask Mason and Corey about him? But on the other hand, Theo wasn't the type not to do something because he didn't have the courage. Although ... what did he know? Liam was perhaps the only person in the pack who cared about Theo, so maybe things were really different.

Suddenly he felt his heart tighten, imagining Theo that wasn't calling him, thinking that if he tried, he would meet a wall. It was sad. It was also very strange. He absolutely did not resemble the image he had of Theo and, at the same time, he seemed to sum up Theo's life perfectly.

He sighed heavily and grabbed Theo's hand, forcing him to stand up and dragging him behind him.

\- You will learn that when people give you their phone number, they want to be called. Where is this office that we need to check?

Theo looked down at their two hands, as if to analyze a situation he was struggling to understand. Suddenly Liam wanted to let go of his hand and run away, but the other boy didn't give him the time and led him to a ladder in the corner of the room.

\- On the first floor. Many people have gone upstairs, I think we should be able to do the same without any problems.

"Couples," Liam observed, smelling the typical smell of teen hormones.

Theo wrinkled his nose.

"Don't look so disgusted," Liam said. "I remind you that we are both climbing at the same time and that people will probably think we are together."

He had just finished the sentence when he realized what it really meant; the revelation hit him hard and he felt himself blush. For a moment he hadn't thought about what their presence together would suggest to the world. Not that it was true, of course ... But it was still annoying...

Theo bit his lip.

"Well, at least some girl will understand why I didn't bring them upstairs," he snorted.

\- Don't tell me that was your plan from the beginning.

"I thought I could get into the office much earlier," Theo admitted.

Liam tried not to dwell on the slight hint of disappointment he felt at that moment. It was as stupid as it was inappropriate, why, frankly? In what world would it be possible for him to be satisfied that Theo imagines them perfectly as a couple?

The rooms were all occupied, but the office they were supposed to check was not. Theo just needed a piece of wire and a little trick to pick the lock, and they began a meticulous search. It was actually quite boring: all you had to do was read every document and take a picture of all of them who talked about weapons, relationships with other suspects, or references to the supernatural. Everything happened in silence, or more or less in silence, until they heard the voice of a man echoing in the corridor, screaming to cover the deafening rhythm of techno music.

\- Yes, Mitchell, I grab these documents and I’ll meet you there... I can't hear you, Mitchell ... Yes, my daughter loves Miley Cyrus, I'm sorry she makes so much noise … - 

Theo and Liam share a look full of panic. They had arranged every piece of paper as they went and it wasn't hard to put the files back in the drawers, which they hurried to do. But they had nowhere to hide. No wardrobe, no closet, no back door. Nothing. They would be caught and surely shot as soon as they were spotted.

\- What do we do? - Liam murmured in panic. - What do we do ? -

\- I do not know! - Theo replied in the same tone. - The windows are blocked!

And if they jumped anyway, they would land ... in the pool, Liam calculated. They would not have had time to get out of the water and run. The hunters' henchmen would immediately capture them. It wouldn't even have been necessary to chase them to shoot.

Liam was frantically looking for a solution. The man was not supposed to go home that night! It must have been a terrible unforeseen event, an unforeseen event that could doom them ...

\- Oh, these young people! - the man exploded, probably still talking to Mitchell. - My daughter is planning this damn party ... They are all fornicating in the rooms! Couples all over the place, flirting in my guest rooms!

Liam froze, and felt his gaze settle on Theo, mechanically. They turned to each other at the same time, struck by the same idea.

No, no, no ... It was crazy and stupid. It was out of the question to restart this unhealthy game.

But it was the only solution… and it was for a good reason…

The same agitation passed through Theo's eyes, who weighed the pros and cons, and they made their decision at almost the same moment.

In just two seconds, Liam had jumped on Theo and they were kissing on the lips. Theo lifted him and made him sit on the desk, and Liam, almost involuntarily, wrapped his legs around Theo, while the chimera hugged him and pulled him even closer.

It was just an act, Liam thought. He clung to that thought as hard as he could, as hard as he was clinging to Theo in the real world, grabbing his hair and the back of his neck. They were just playing a role, to survive, not to get caught. Nothing more, nothing more ...

It just so happened that Liam loved the smell of Theo's soap, that he liked the softness of his skin and his hair and the taste of his mouth. It may have been a act, but it was delicious. It was normal, he thought absently. It was a kiss and a kiss is always pleasant ... And then, they completely got into the role ...

\- No, that's crazy! - cried the indignant voice of Mr. Lobbyist.

Liam jumped and barely broke away from Theo. He had already forgotten about the man. He looked at them, shocked and disgusted.

Liam and Theo were both out of breath. Liam didn't realize that they were half lying on the desk in question, or that he had pulled Theo so close to him, or that Theo was hugging him completely. They might have gotten  _a little_ carried away.

The chimera had red cheeks and lips, his hair was completely disheveled and his pupils were almost completely dark.

Theo was strangely handsome and sexy in this position.

_Oh my God._

Liam was hit with two revelations, one after the other.

He had missed it, he  _really_ missed kissing Theo.

He wanted to start doing it again now, and he wasn't going to stop.

Fuck. He was in so much troubles.


	7. Seventh Kiss

**Seventh kiss. The cursed kiss.**

Subsequently, it was as if nothing had happened. They left the night laughing loudly, because the dude's face was totally epic. They went home, each on their own, and didn't talk about this kiss.

But things had changed anyway, Liam thought. On the contrary, he no longer avoided Theo at every meeting of the pack. Theo had found his natural place in the center of their small seat, sitting next to him. Whenever there was an intelligence, espionage, or even prevention mission to accomplish to protect the pack, they carried it out together, systematically. They had stopped yelling at each other or punching each other in the face, even though Liam couldn't help but annoy Theo and Theo, for his part, was constantly ready to respond. But to Liam it felt like it was part of who they were basically: two friends making fun of each other all day. It wasn't really fair, of course, but they were friends and they made fun of each other. The definition seemed to stick, but sometimes Liam - often - felt something deeper than that, without being able to name it. He also had a feeling that if he kept trying to understand, he would ruin everything. So he let things go their own way.

The one thing he couldn't deny was that he enjoyed spending all that time with Theo. When the chimera didn't feel compelled to appear cold and unperturbed in front of the rest of the pack, he let the mask slip and Liam couldn't pretend that the Theo hiding underneath was someone he didn't like. Theo was smart, sarcastic and Liam would have put his hand on his being more sensitive than he wanted to believe.

"Well," Mason said with an amused look, "another night in the library. At first you didn't want to see him anymore, and now you're not leaving each other."

Liam shrugged and tried to appear as aloof and indifferent as possible.

\- Well, you were right, guys. We are a great team, him and me.

Mason looked at him indifferently, and absolutely not fooled. Corey couldn't help but smile.

\- And nothing else? Mason insisted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Liam siad, raising his head. - Should there be something else?

\- Nothing happened ... between you guys? - Corey asked curiously.

Liam looked at them in turn.

\- What are you trying to get me to say, exactly?

\- The truth? - Mason replied.

Corey chuckled. Liam dropped his head on the table, discouraged. After all, maybe he should tell someone? Perhaps this would help him see the situation more clearly. Mason and Corey seemed to rather accept the idea that there might be  _something_ with Theo, and it would be easier to talk to them than to Scott or someone else.

\- OK, OK, - he gave up. - We kissed.

Corey smiled in delight. Mason, for his part, smiled with satisfaction.

\- When? - the chameleon asked .

Liam hesitated.

\- Uh ... it depends.

\- How does it depend?

\- Have they been there several kisses? - Mason understood, amazed.

\- Uh ... yeah?

Corey and Mason shared an impressed glance. Liam felt a furious headache rise in his temples.

\- How many exactly? - Mason asked, narrowing his eyes, more attentive than ever.

\- Six - the Beta groans.

\-  _Six? -_ the other two cried .

"You're going out, then," Corey concluded with a big smile.

For some odd reason, it seemed like there was nothing to say for Corey, and  _worse yet_ , she totally delighted him.

\- No, - Liam answered firmly. - It was just accidents. It was the circumstances.

What did they believe, that bunch of happy fools?

Mason gasped in disbelief.

\- Once, it's an accident. Twice, it's a coincidence. Three times, it's a pattern. So what exactly are six times to you?

\- But what if I told you it was just accidents! - Liam insisted, desperate at the idea that they understood. - Once we were furious and we were fighting! And another one I panicked completely and he wanted to calm me down ...

"Nice," Corey commented.

Liam stared at him.

\- And there was another time, when we made a hunter think we were making out in his office rather than  _searching_ his office ...

"Surprising that this is the first idea that came to your mind," he said. Mason.

\- And the rest was war! We were desperate, we were afraid, and then we were relieved that it was over and that everyone was alive ...

Corey nudged Mason.

\- I told you they kissed that night in your living room.

"I didn't think it would work between them at the time," Mason said.

\- Why? Is it different now? - Liam joked.

"Completely," Mason assured him.

\- So, - Corey asked, - aren't you having an affair? Just ... Do you kiss like that sometimes?

"Yes, I suppose we can sum it up that way," agreed the werewolf.

\- And ... don't you wish to have... more? - Mason asked hesitantly.

\- Have more of  _what_ ?

\- Well, you know ... hang out with him, be ... -

Liam laughed, stunned.

\- What? Me and  _Theo_ ? No way! -

"It's not that crazy," Mason said. "After all, you spend your time kissing."

"And making it look like an accident," Corey murmured.

"No, it's just Liam who says it," Mason corrected. "We don't have Theo's version."

"He thinks the same way" Liam replied dryly.

\- Is that what he said?

"He ... didn't say anything," admitted the werewolf.

"So that says it all," Mason said. "Just because you think it means nothing to you, doesn't mean it doesn't mean anything to  _him."_

\- Don't ... Of course not, it doesn't mean anything! Nothing at all! - Liam snorted. -And it's not like  _I think_ it doesn't mean anything to me, it just  _doesn't mean_ anything to me!

\- Said the boy who counted all the kisses you shared? - Mason insisted. - Who is shocked by Theo without saying anything? Who insists on shouting not to hear anything for Theo to the point that the whole school now knows?

Liam looked around. All the high school students gathered in the library looked at him more or less openly, with great curiosity.

_Oh my God._

\- I swear to you that I don't feel anything for Theo, - he assured in a lower tone.

"Okay," Mason said. - So, I guess you never want to kiss him, you don't like doing it and you don't think about it regularly. - 

He plunged back into his biology textbook as if nothing had happened.

"Absolutely," Liam hammered resolutely. Here. That's all.

Corey cleared his throat and looked at Liam curiously.

\- Hey... Was it good?

Liam nearly told him to go to hell, but Corey looked like a pretty innocent little angel. It was too hard to tell him to fock off when he had that expression. And then, well. He wouldn't have lied. 

He had been honest so far, it wouldn't change the course of action!

"Yes. It was  _very_ good" he admitted.

Corey patted him fondly on the arm.

\- I hope you two will be very happy.

In the end, Liam could have done better to strangle him directly.

  


This conversation haunted him for the next three days. He did everything he could to chase it away and chase Theo's face out of his mind or the taste of his lips on his own, but it was a mission impossible. The more he tried not to think about it, the more he thought about it. When he finally got a message from Theo himself, it was almost a relief, as if he was finally allowed to think of him for a completely normal and innocent reason.

Finally, of course, he had  _no_ reason to think of Theo any differently than normal, but this stupid discussion gave him bizarre ideas. Well no, it didn't give him any ideas, they were pretty crazy questions that didn't have to exist. Because behold, they had made mistakes, but there was nothing to do but go further, because there was nothing very significant to see in them. Obviously, they were kisses, so everyone saw a lot of things there, they saw a romantic dimension where actually there was only a solid friendship that was based on helping each other. That’s it. Comfort in difficult times, an anchor to cling to in times of anguish and human warmth when everything broke around them.

Reassured, he opened Theo's message.  _A little surveillance mission, does it make a bell ring?_ Liam smiled and responded positively. Surveillance missions with Theo were always good times. Sometimes they just had to listen and take note of the important details of what they saw and heard, but the rest of the time, when nothing happened, they just sat there, chatting and laughing about everything and nothing. It was relaxing and fun.

Theo's response came almost immediately after his.  _Do you bring pizza and coke?_

At that moment Liam realized how impatient he was for the evening to come.

But there was nothing romantic about it. Just a deep friendship for a person who had gradually become one of his closest friends ...

And he was also a little nervous.

But hey, after all, Theo has always been a little intimidating!

  


"I think it's going to be a pretty quiet night," Theo remarked that night, when they were both sitting in the chimera's Toyota Tacoma

\- Who are we spying on? - Liam asked, taking a sip of water and then moving on to finish his pizza.  
  


Theo raised an eyebrow, amused .

\- So, you come on a mission without even knowing what it is about?

\- It must be said that my teammate does not give me much information.

\- Look at you, - suggested the chimera smiling. - Maybe your teammate is going to tie you up, kidnap you and take you to his dark lair that you will never leave.

Liam gave him an indifferent look.

\- Ohh, sooo scary. What will you do to me? Lock myself in the cellar until I tell you where I hid the five dollars I stole from my mom ten years ago?

Theo nearly choked on his sip of water.

\- I can’t believe it. Did Liam Dunbar, the innocent little devil, steal five dollars from his mommy?

\- I was seven!

\- Even juvenile delinquent. Better and better.

\- Confessed mistake, half forgiven, right?

\- Did you confess to your mother?

\- Hmm ... No.

\- She'll be so disappointed when she finds out.

"It’s more likely that she laughs when she finds out I was so afraid she'd find out I didn't even spend it," Liam muttered.

Theo laughed.

\- It's not funny! - Liam muttered, humiliated, punching him in the arm. - Not funny at all! Stop laughing, you idiot!

"I picture you so well, putting your poor five dollar bill in a box under the bed and looking for a way to put it back in your mother's purse without her seeing you," Theo panted hilariously.

Liam couldn't help but sulk.

\- Oh, man. This is really what you did!

Theo's laughter intensified.

\- Finally, threatening to tie you up in my basement had little effect - he observed amused. - I should do it more often.

"Anyway, you don't even have a cellar," Liam assured. - So I'm not afraid of you.

\- Why? Would you be afraid of me if I had a cellar?

\- I'd be absolutely terrified. Do you have one?

Theo made a face.

\- For the moment, I sleep in a rather shabby hotel room, so… no cellar.

Liam straightened up.

\- Do you live in a hotel room?

Theo looked embarrassed.

\- Forget about it.

\- No.

\- Yes.

\- No.

\- Yes.

\- Why do you live in a hotel?

\- ‘Cause I don’t have anywhere else to live? - Theo suggested sarcastically.

"You could come and sleep at me," Liam replied.

\- I'm not going to settle in your guest room, - retorted the chimera.

\- I don't have a guest room.

Theo's eyes widened and Liam suddenly realized what he had just brought out, absorbed in the debate and what it implied. He felt the heat invade him everywhere.

"Well ... there," he stammered, feeling more stupid than ever. - We could find a solution. I mean, there is always a way to ... and then ... well, you see ... couch... mattress ... all this ...

\- Yes, yes, I see it very well, I assure you -.

Liam felt his heart pounding in his chest. He could have sworn that Theo had - again - looked at his lips. Theo wanted to ... kiss him? Maybe Mason and Corey were right and Theo ... did he  _feel_ something for him?

\- I mean, - Liam said, trying to ignore this idea, - that you have friends, okay? You don't have to look after yourself alone

Theo clenched his jaw and didn't answer. Liam could only see his profile, illuminated by a bar sign in front of the car. It wasn't fair how good he was. There was something about that face - the shape of his nose, the outline of his jaw, the features of his lips - that made something burn inside Liam, like pleasantly warm bubbles bursting at the same time. He wanted to caress those full lips, touch his perfect cheeks

Liam looked down. Thinking of Theo like that was disturbing. They were just friends. He was just blinded by the fact that Theo was really, really handsome and sexy - objectively, of course. After all, all the Beacon Hills were reaching out to take a look at him - from prince charming girls to grannies to the heaviest of testosterone-dripping males. By the way, it was also annoying.

\- Anyway, Liam, you know like me that I don't really belong to this pack, - Theo replied with a definitive tone, as if to end the argument.

Liam gritted his teeth, irritated by the truth of the answer.

\- You do to me, okay? - He answered.

Theo turned to him. Sometimes Liam felt he could get lost in the green of his eyes. He looked away.

\- Okay, - Theo replied. - However, I'm not going to sleep in your house. Not sure I can handle you for more than a few hours straight.

Shocked, Liam sighed angrily.

\- Well, I just offered it to ease my conscience.

\- An extremely tormented conscience, I'm sure. Stealing a five dollar bill from your mother ... What a vile crime! What evil potential!

Liam pursed his lips, trying not to laugh, really. But it was too difficult: he burst out laughing despite himself. A few months ago, he would have grunted at Theo and maybe punched him in the face for mocking him, but now ... it was just fun.

Theo smiles. Was he amused by his own joke (most likely, because Theo had a ego as big as Russia) or by Liam's reaction? Liam ignored him, but that only accentuated his hilarity, and within seconds they were both laughing out loud.

Maybe it was just the tension between them, or maybe the atmosphere. But the laughter relaxed them and the atmosphere suddenly became lighter, less tense. Liam hadn't even realized he had been tense. Believing that their relationship was a perpetual challenge and that they needed to be tamed every time.

He stopped laughing and looked at Theo, who looked at him again, the grin still on his lips.

What a pretentious, self-centered asshole.

Liam was seized with a sudden and violent desire to kiss him.

He wanted him right here, right now, without waiting - to put his lips on Theo’s and kiss him on the mouth. He wanted his body against his and Theo's hands on him, and his on Theo’s. He wanted it more than anything else in the world.

What was wrong with him suddenly?

It wasn't natural. Not normal.

But he wanted it more than anything else in the world: he  _needed_ it.

To his surprise - or perhaps it wasn't that surprising, actually - he saw the same desire in Theo's eyes. Theo also wanted to kiss him  _now_ .

They wanted to kiss and there was nothing holding them back.

But it was illogical, stupid, it made no sense, it meant nothing ... He felt nothing for Theo, however ... his body contradicted him. The chills in his spine, the tremor in his hands, the knot in his belly, his heart beating like crazy, the anticipation, the roar of impatience within him.

Liam felt Theo's heartbeat. Calm, far too calm, to the point that it was unnatural. Why was Theo holding himself back in front of him? What was he afraid of?

They had moved closer to each other, their noses almost touching. Like in slow motion. Nobody dared to take the first step. They both knew that if they did, everything would change. Everything would be different and it was scary. He didn't want to be the one to initiate this change - no ...

He was stupid ...

Oh, and shit!

Liam gave up any idea of coherent thinking, throwing his consciousness into the four corners of the universe and surrendering to the heat and chills. His breath mingled with Theo's. Their lips touched - finally,  _finally_ ! - and then ...

Harpies. Damn harpies. The harpies were in Beacon Hills. The harpies were attacking a boy in the lane adjacent to the one they were in, a boy who had just screamed to death. The harpies ended up interrupting the peace finally found and dearly acquired.  _Damn harpies,_ they have killed that kiss before it even had time to happen! Their lips had barely touched and ...  _harpies_ !

Liam knew he had to be relieved, but when he came home that night, covered in feathers, scratches and bruises, he couldn't help - deep down, very deep down - being furious ... and disappointed.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Eighth Kiss

**Eighth kiss (or seventh, depending on your point of view) - Healing.**

All right. Liam had to admit it and had to make up his own mind. He was attracted to Theo. It was obvious that he could no longer deny it. There was chemistry between them. Theo fascinated him, seduced him, upset him. Perhaps that was normal, with all the time they spent together, their relative closeness and no less relative complicity, and Theo's natural charm. Or maybe it wasn't, but who cares?

Liam was drawn to Theo like a magnet. It was a fact, he had to accept it.

It was scary, intriguing, and it was deadly annoying, but also beautiful. We don't always check these things. Besides, it was physical. In other words, it would eventually pass. It was just a passage, which would vanish on its own after a while - or after Theo had exasperated him too much - or when he met someone he would fall in love with, who wasn't doing it just for physical attraction. Someone who would never want to hit their nose because it was too annoying, for example.

Liam still had a number of questions. First, did that mean he was bi after all? He was certainly not gay, he had loved Hayden with all his heart, even if the distance had separated them fatally. But since he was attracted to a man's body, he was certainly bi. He didn't feel particularly attracted to any of the high school kids, but after all - maybe it was just Theo? Or, more likely, was he able to be attracted to someone just by knowing him? Which would have made him pansexual - but that was absurd, because with Theo he was purely  _physical_ . And he wasn't even in love.

Another question he kept asking himself: Was he developing this absurd attraction due to the many kisses shared with Theo, since at first all were actually due to circumstances, or had he kissed Theo because of this absurd attraction all this time? Or a mixture of the two - the former, especially at the zoo and high school, were just random and the others were bad acts?

Theo was his personal torment. Liam couldn't help but hate him in part for what he had done to him. Otherwise, he hated himself - and he felt perfectly ridiculous, even more ridiculous than when he and Mason had tried to crash Tiffany Meyers' party when they were fourteen, and that had to be ranked in the top ten most humiliating moments of humanity.

Another thing that was really upsetting was Theo's feelings. Liam couldn't help but think of all the looks he had captured on his lips and on himself in general, on that desire that Theo was trying to hide but was becoming more and more able to read in his eyes, which Liam he could not give a name. This sweetness at times when he spoke to him, as much as the virulence it put into rejecting him, and that at times Liam had the impression that it was mechanical or forced. The passion with which Theo kissed him. Or the tenderness and gentleness she had shown during their second kiss, to calm his panic attack.

It was absurd, really. Theo was  _Theo_ \- self-centered, narcissistic, sarcastic, sometimes cold and cruel, aloof and calculating. Liam had some difficulty admitting the existence of this Theo who could also be kind and tender.

Yet he wanted to kiss him every time he saw him. He had failed several times. When Theo saved him from a particularly brutal harpy. When Theo had left on an extremely dangerous mission without warning him. When Theo had returned from this ultra dangerous mission. When he walked into a room - it was almost a reflection for Liam. When they met, when they parted. Liam felt it was eating him inside. It was incredibly frustrating.

It was easier to pretend he didn't exist.

That was until Liam found Theo outside his door, bloodied and his stomach half ripped from the claws of a harpy.

It was a Thursday night after returning from Lacrosse training. It had been a pretty good day: he had impressed his history teacher, he had scored three goals in training, had done his math assignment well, and had managed not to think  _too much_ about Theo Raeken, his personalized ordeal on this earth.

And Theo was there, lying in his garden, outside his door. Covered in blood, practically cut in half, barely conscious.

Liam dropped the bag and dropped next to him.

\- Theo! Theo! God ... are you okay?

\- What you think? - Theo made a face. - I was attacked by these harpies. Bitches. I have not missed them.

Liam, in a panic, watched the blood flow all over Theo's open stomach. Everything smelled of blood and pain. He could feel Theo's heart, beating too fast and too weak. He was at a loss for words. All he managed to let go was:

\- And the first thing you think about is coming to dirty my lawn?

What an idiot. No, but what an idiot. What made him say it?

Theo murmured an indistinct answer, of which Liam heard only a few words: "only place", "very good" and "Liam".

Liam felt he was about to hyperventilate. Theo's heart rate slowed, slowed, and the smell of his pain increased.

\- You don't have the right to die, okay? - he screamed. - You can't leave me! Theo! Heal, damn, heal!

He put his hands on Theo's arm, on his heart, on his face, but his veins may have turned black and he could have absorbed his pain, it wasn't enough. The poison. The claws have been poisoned! Theo was about to die. He would lose him. Tears clouded his eyes, but he tried to catch Theo's gaze.

\- You have to focus, Theo!

\- Tired ... - the chimera sighed, resting his head on Liam.

\- No! Stay awake! Stay with me ! THEO!

\- I can't ... - he whispered.

\- Focus! You must focus ... to heal the wound and eliminate the poison!

\- It hurts ...

He heard him go. He was suffering too much, he was too weak, he could not concentrate, he was about to die. Liam was staring, trying to figure out how to make him focus. How? Or with what? Taking the pain wasn't enough! Not even talk to him!

\- Liam ... - Theo whispered, snuggling against Liam, only semi-conscious.

Suddenly, the enlightenment. Malia and Scott, who told of the fight with the Anuk-ite, and Scott who could not heal. "Kissing him was a way for him to focus," Lydia said.

Lydia was always right. It was one of the first rules Liam learned when he joined the group.

He was shaking so much that he found it difficult to lean over Theo and then remove the blood from his lips. He may have been shaking, but he kissed Theo with determination. He lightly caressed his lips, gently, mixing their two breaths, but with enough force to wake Theo. He felt his surprise - then a surge of pleasure - and finally, finally, he felt his conscience recover and his powers went to work, finally starting to destroy the poison and close the wound.

Liam let go of Theo's lips relieved.

\- Already done? - muttered Theo, who definitely seemed ready to pass out

"You'll have more if you're good," promised Liam, who, at this point, was ready to promise anything.

Theo passed out.

The chimera was safely saved in the middle of the night. The poison had been completely destroyed and the wound, although clearly visible, was closing without a doubt. Theo hadn't woken up, but Liam knew everything would be fine now.

He had laid Theo on his bed and kept him awake all night. He had the absurd impression that if they were in constant contact, Theo would remain attached to the world of the living. Then he stroked his hair, or took his hand, a voice howling in the small corner of his consciousness asking him to place his mouth on his. What wouldn't we do for a friend on the verge of death?

It wasn't until around two in the morning that he remembered what Lydia had said. For a werewolf, a kiss received was a great way to focus. But it only works on one condition: the one who receives the kiss must have strong feelings for the one who gave it. Hence the fact that it was Malia who kissed Scott. Not Lydia, not Stiles, anyone else.

Troubled, Liam looked in detail at Theo's face. Theo felt something for him.  _Theo was in love with him._

How the hell was that possible? Theo loved him.  _Theo loved him._

He didn't know if he was flattered, horrified or saddened. He didn't know why either.


	9. Ninth Kiss

**Ninth kisses. Desire and pleasure**

\- I'm  _fine_ , Liam. When will you stop playing mother hen? 

Finally tired Liam opened his eyes wide to Theo who stood up. The Beta pushed him by the shoulders, knocking him onto his back on Liam's bed.

\- You didn't think that at first.

"I wouldn't have stopped you from being my personal slave or cuddling me," Theo replied, annoyed.

\- Oh no. It would have been a shame to miss this” Liam hissed.

Theo narrowed his eyes.

\- But now, you're just an overprotective pain in the ass bothering me all day. I am of age, vaccinated and completely cured! Can I go home now? -

\- No.

\- Can I at least take a walk? I'm choking on spending all my time with you.

\- No.

\- And how are you going to stop me?

\- As far as I know, you haven't fully recovered yet, - Liam smiles - I will have no problem using force.

\- I thought your goal was to make me heal and get better, - Theo said triumphantly. - Holding me by force is not what I call making me feel better

\- I ...

And here it is. Trapped like a mouse. Damn Theo!

"Will you stay a little longer, or I'll send everyone pictures of you drooling on my pillow," he retorted.

Theo opened his mouth, scandalized.

\- You wouldn't dare.

\- Oh, yes I would.

\- You didn't take any pictures.

\- I think it was the first thing I did. You  _drooled_ on  _my_ pillow!

\- You could not put me in your bed! - Theo replied.

"And you could not have come and spread your insides in my garden," Liam retorted, dropping onto the bed next to Theo. - So, assume it's out of the question that I let you go until you are completely, permanently healed. -

Theo muttered something incomprehensible between his teeth, then let go:

\- I don't even understand why you care so much.

Liam said nothing. He didn't know either. The only thing he was sure of was that the memory of Theo dying in front of him, in his arms, still haunted his nightmares - nightmares in which Theo didn't always survive.

It couldn’t help it, he was worried. He often checked that Theo was okay and  _maybe_ a little protective, okay. But he was terrified that Theo would leave and meet the harpies again, or that he would pass out somewhere, or that his injuries would reopen, or a whole bunch of other disasters. Also, he had the idea that Theo wasn't the kind of person who really took care of himself. Damn, he admitted to eating almost exclusively pizza, sandwiches and fast food! And then he was surprised that Liam got it into his head to cook healthy food for him?

Theo had stayed with him for three days. He had been unconscious during the first, irritating and exhausted the next, and lively and very, very alert the last. It was really weird to live with him. It was very different from the times Mason slept there, and very different from the times he had spent with Theo before. Liam had the confused feeling that he had brought Theo into his privacy and that, in a way, their bond was different now. However, not much was happening. They chatted about everything and nothing, watched silly series and videos on the Internet, played video games - Liam had discovered that Theo had never played them and decided to fix the problem. They talked about class, supernatural, sport or culture. They also argued - meaning they had a verbal _two-hour_ fight over the two rivals in the program they were planning to watch, a bloody contest that ended anyway while they were arguing.

Overall, everything was quiet. Even their arguments were pleasant, in a way. At least, Liam liked that. It was strange that Theo was there, so close and so distant at the same time. Liam enjoyed spending time with Theo. He appreciated the way they got along and argued.

But of course Theo didn't feel the same way, as he wanted to leave. Liam was angry and a little worried. Was his company really that detestable?

"I'm not a fragile little thing," Theo insisted in the face of his lack of response.

"I know," Liam replied sharply. "Now could you shut up and let me take care of you?"

"I don't even see why it bothers you so much," Theo murmured, surprised. “Frankly, I'm fine.”

\- Were you okay, even when you almost died outside my door?

Theo looked at him curiously.

\- You're exaggerating, Liam. I _'m_ not nearly dead. I was a bit weak, that's all ...

\- It's the impression I got anyway, - the Beta silenced him, stubbornly refusing to look Theo in the face. - Your heart kept slowing down. I remember I was there, and believe me, it's not something I wanted to see in my life.

There were long minutes of silence. Liam leafed through a book in silence without really seeing the words passing in front of him. Why was Theo so stubborn? So it was so hard to admit that he considered him his friend and that he cared that he was okay?

Eventually, Theo settled more comfortably by his side on the bed, half lying down.

"Maybe I'll stay a little longer then," he said in a softer voice than usual.

\- Oh, but if you want to leave and die with your mouth open in a dark alley, that's your problem, I don't care, - Liam lied.

"Thanks for taking care of me," Theo replied without realizing it.

Liam turned to the chimera so quickly that his neck snapped. Was he dreaming or did Theo say "thank you"? Thanks ? Thanks to him, for more? Then Theo had really changed. Sometimes Liam was afraid to see only what he wanted to see. Sometimes, too, he wondered why he was so obsessed with Theo being the person who was alone with him and not with others.

A dozen answers went through his mind, from "You're welcome" to "You would have done the same for me" (Liam knew it was true now), going from "I owed you after many times you saved my life" and "I was so afraid of losing you." He didn't know which was better. The only thing he wanted to do was intertwine his fingers with Theo's, or interwine himself, or stroke that rough scar on his cheek, and that was absolutely not appropriate.

Especially since Theo felt something for him. How the hell could this have happened? Halfway between two fights for their survival? Between two kisses, perhaps? Or was it somewhere else?

He smiled faintly at Theo, then placed his pillow more comfortably next to the chimera's. Theo smiles. It gave Liam a strange feeling in his stomach, something murky, delicious and painful at the same time.

This damn physical attraction.

\- Did you tell me about this tv show you wanted to make me watch? - Theo asked.

Liam got the impression that he was trying to be forgiven.

They watched three episodes, and without knowing how, when Liam paid attention to where they were, he finally realized that… well, he hadn't been paying enough attention. They were both half stretched out on the bed, huddled together. Their legs were intertwined. Theo was leaning against Liam, who had pressed his head against the chimera's. Oh, damn. Damn damn damn damn. Liam felt his heartbeat suddenly increase, suddenly feeling this closeness. Everything had been so natural between them that they hadn't noticed anything. And indeed yes, it was natural. There was nothing artificial about this position. It seemed real. And he couldn't deny that he felt good like that.

He closed his eyes, tried to understand what he was feeling. It was physical. Purely physical. The confusing thing was that he really liked Theo, who was one of his closest friends. That’s it. That's all. Now that he was aware of the problem, he could solve it. Work on it, solve it, hunt for what shouldn't exist.

\- Theo? - he called.

\- Hmm?

He forgot what he wanted to say the moment Theo looked up to hear him, and they found face to face. He forgot, because they were close, so close - Theo's eyes were so green - he smelled so good - his body was so hot against his - and they were kissing again.

Liam felt like he was rediscovering Theo. This kiss wasn't like everyone else. He was not motivated by anger or anguish, relief, fear or the need to appear as passionate as possible in order to lure a stupid hunter. It was just Liam and Theo. It was just them, alone with themselves, and faced with what they wanted.

It was a little awkward at first. Their teeth collided, biting their lips and they didn't know where to put their hands. But Liam liked it. It was sweet and intense. It was also tremendously sensual. It was what he had always wanted without knowing it. Once they were tamed, their kiss became natural. Liam finally managed to touch and caress Theo, his arms, his chest, his neck, his hair. He could finally feel Theo's body on his. They could take advantage of it, unlike other times. He could draw Theo more and more against him and devour his lips, bury his hands in his hair, caress this scar, feel Theo wrap him tightly, more and more perhaps, feel his hands caressing his hips and teeth sucking his lips.

It was a long kissing dance. As soon as they parted, they started over. At one point, the shirts became too bulky and were thrown across the room as Theo attacked Liam's neck and Liam stroked Theo's back, savoring the thrills of pleasure he caused in the chimera.

He had never felt so good. It was as if the world had readjusted correctly and each piece was finally in its place.

Everything was broken by Mason who rang the bell, shouting:

\- Liam! Theo! It's me ! I brought you a pizza!

They parted with regret and sigh. Liam stared at Theo sadly. The other guy was lying on top of him and Liam put his arms around his neck. He felt Theo's warm skin on his chest and, as he slowly regained consciousness and realized the reality, he saw that they had taken off their pants.

\- Your friend has the worst timing in the world, - Theo sighed against his lips.

This simple gesture felt much more intimate to Liam than anything else and aroused even more warmth in him.

Liam was well aware of what they had done, yet there was a part of him that was amazed and a little shocked.

He didn't want to erase everything. The only thing he regretted was that they had been interrupted. This discovery surprised him more than the others.

He no longer wanted to stop, no longer wanted to hold back or lie to himself.

He kissed Theo.

"It's just a postponement," he whispered.

Theo smiled like never before.

It was a promise.


	10. Tenth Kiss

**Tenth kiss. The goodbye.**

They haven't talked about it. They never talked about it. The only time they had really mentioned all these kisses was when Mason had interrupted them, to express their regret that they could not continue.

Besides that, they sat side by side at pack meetings without talking about it. They went on a mission and killed the harpies without talking about it. It was there, Theo knew. It was among them.

Theo knew it - he felt it - so much the better since it was him, the madman in love with Liam.

He sighed and dropped onto the bed, exhausted. He hated that tiny, dark, dingy room, that hard mattress, and the grunts his pervert neighbor made in the evenings when he brought a different girl each time. But it was the best he could have. Already a little better than sleeping in his car. At least he had a small room.

It had already been a week since their regular groping in Liam's room, and they hadn't talked about it. Finally, it was not entirely accurate. Liam had tried, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Theo was quick to talk about something else. He hadn't responded to any of Liam's invitations to come to his house, and generally avoided him.

One word, and Liam would forever shatter any hopes he had. As long as Liam didn't say anything - as long as he didn't clarify the situation between them - Theo could believe that something was possible, he could imagine more kisses and a real relationship. He could even imagine another future, where they would go out together, be one of those couples who were totally stupid but crazy in love and where they would be happy. He could even allow himself to think it was real.

He could also remember all those kisses they shared without having to get them out of his mind because it was too painful and because he didn't have to think about Liam that way. He could taste Liam's presence, his words and his smell, without feeling guilty and without suffering. He could pretend it was real; he could have been in love with Liam.

But as soon as Liam spoke, as soon as he said what they really were, everything would change. Theo wasn't stupid.

The chances of Liam reciprocating his feelings were slim. Why should he be in love with him? He was just a murderous and manipulative asshole, he suffered from a more or less disabling trauma, he was a pain in the ass and much more. He wasn't even a member of the pack, and he was reduced to doing most of the hotel chores to keep a room there. Why would Liam fall in love with such a guy? Theo could already consider himself happy that Liam was attracted to him and delighted that they had shared a few kisses and an intense make-out session. He could also be happy that Liam was his friend - he was happy,

but that wasn't enough, was it? They couldn't go on like this, just kiss when they wanted, without sharing anything else. Irregular kisses, random kisses and depending on the mood of the moment. At least, Theo didn't think he could handle it. He took the little that was offered to him, but the problem was there: how long would he be happy to collect the crumbs he might have? How long before Liam actually finds someone, or does his attraction melt like snow in the sun? They could try, of course, but Theo knew exactly how this kind of story ended. Love is not built by force. Liam liked him or not. Theo would decide to be his friend and even pretend he didn't feel anything for Liam if that allowed him to be close to him. Or maybe he would leave Beacon Hills to start a new life elsewhere?

Desire did not make love. It was just the need for something. Liam obviously wanted Theo. But that wasn't enough. It was even worse than anything else.

Theo had tried not to fall in love, really. It would only cause problems. But on their second kiss, he knew he was ruined. The first one, at the zoo, in the rage and heat of their fight, had really been an accident, but the next time ... When he saw Liam panicking like that, he kissed him to calm him down, and the revelation fell on him like thirty tons. He loved Liam. He didn't know when, he didn't know how it happened, but it was. But with every second he passed by his side, that stupid feeling swelled in his chest until he could no longer ignore it. And each kiss pushed him a little further into this vicious circle and strengthened this invisible bond he had tried to ignore, proclaiming that he didn't care about him, but ultimately, each time, protected and fought for him. He had been out of town for two months to forget about Liam, but not only did he think about him, he had missed him terribly, and so he returned. He wanted to leave Liam's house, away from his worry and feelings, but as usual, Liam had won, and stayed - well, that, he could forgive himself, as he had generated the most wonderful minutes of his life so far.

He had held back from kissing Liam, but there were always those silly moments when it was just too much, and they both gave up.

Theo could only cross his fingers and hope that, for once, luck would smile at him. Did Liam have real feelings for him and lived in perpetual denial? Maybe his attraction to him would turn into something else?

It was so painful to love with no return. It was even more painful to love and think there might be a return. Sometimes Theo told himself that Liam felt something for him and lied to himself. Sometimes he just knew it was hopeless. Liam was his friend. And he was only attracted to him because, well, Theo was pretty messed up, and it felt good to kiss him. There had been a time when Theo had been proud to be so sexy. Now it was just a terrible handicap, which had dragged him to the center of a cyclone of hopeless love kisses that were torturing him. Could he and Liam still be friends afterwards?

Theo sighed and lay down more at ease on the world's most uncomfortable mattress. What was the worst? He wondered. The erotic dreams he might have had about Liam, or those stupid, childish dreams where they were content to be with each other and be happy?

Theo hated that tender aspect of himself. He also hated the need that rumbled inside him, or that despair that cried. He hated being so weak, so dependent, so stupid. But he really enjoyed being with Liam. He loved the warmth that Liam gave him, the comfort, the sweetness, the happiness and that indefinable feeling that took him in the stomach, throat and all over his body. It was painful and sweet at the same time, and Theo kept putting off naming it.

However, it was hopeless.

He was so exhausted that he fell asleep, gradually sinking into a heavy sleep punctuated by flashes of Liam and their kisses. He had to stop. If it hadn't been Liam who ended it, it would have been him ... He had suffered enough.

He woke with this conviction and opened his eyes wide, staring at the dirty ceiling as if it could bring him the courage to put his decision into practice. Can you break up with someone without even being dating that person? Theo wondered thoughtfully.

He stood up, more tired than ever, and almost collided with Liam.

\- So. Is sleeping beauty finally awake? - asked the Beta with an amused smile.

Theo, stunned, stared at him in disbelief.

\- What are you doing here!?

His voice broke, much more fragile than he would have liked.

"I came to see you," Liam replied. "That's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

\- How did you find me? - Theo murmured, backing away slightly.

He was too close to Liam, too close, and that made him unsure, and he didn't like being so weak.

Liam was half seated and half lying next to him. He wore the red shirt, the one that shaped his shoulders so pleasantly, and a lock of hair fell over his eyes. Theo wanted to wrap his fingers around these threads and caress Liam's cheek. He wanted it so badly it hurt.

"Werewolf smell," Liam replied. (Theo raised an eyebrow.) "OK. I called all the hotels in town and asked about you until there was one who told me you were in their hotel."

Theo wrinkled his nose.

\- How long have you been here?

"Half an hour," Liam admitted with a big smile.

\- Did you watch me sleep?

\- Yes

The boy also enjoyed his toy!

\- It's scary, you know? I thought that of the two I was the obsessive psychopath.

Liam shrugged.

\- I'm not obsessive, it's just that I was waiting for you to wake up to talk to you.

Theo's heart skipped a beat.

\- You were watching me sleep. When you could, I don't know, take a walk.

Liam looked at him strangely. Theo did his best to remain neutral and unmoved, trying not to show Liam what he was doing. Then suddenly, Liam leaned forward and his lips rested on Theo's.

Oh, damn, how much he had missed it. For a few seconds, Theo surrendered to the kiss Liam offered him. He was different. He was more tender, less eager. But it shouldn't dwell on it. It would just get hurt even more. Then he stepped back and pushed Liam away, with a little more brutality than necessary.

"I don't understand what you have in mind, but you have to know something," he said in his most threatening tone, in order to better hide how vulnerable he felt. "Do not play with me."

\- I'm not playing! - Liam protested, shocked by being rejected.

\- We will not continue to play this little game, - Theo insisted. - You and me it's not possible. It's over, got it?

Liam looked hurt. Theo tried not to dwell on it. He knew it was the best option, and no matter how much he felt like he was stepping on his already badly battered heart. He softened a little.

\- Look, we're friends, okay? But there is no question that I will be your friend with benefits.

Liam blinked.

\- But I don't want you to be my friend with benefits! I want you to be my boyfriend!

Shocked, Theo stared at him silently, unable to formulate a coherent thought. Liam took the opportunity to kiss him again, but Theo, amazed, didn't answer.

\- You ... I ... Are you kidding me? - he let go when Liam walked away. - You're not in love with me. -

"Actually, I think so," Liam admitted.

\- Come on. You  _think_ . We will go far with this - Theo jokes.

Liam rolled his eyes.

\- That's a saying, you idiot.

\- However, this does not change the problem, - answered the chimera, pushing Liam by the shoulder. - Won't you make me believe that in that way, suddenly, you discovered a crazy love for my person?

\- In fact, if you had allowed me to discuss it with you the other day, you would have known it was like that, - Liam replied.

Theo opened his mouth, but Liam put his hand in to stop him from speaking.

\- Ah no, you will not start again to change the subject and pretend that none of this exists!

Theo bit on Liam's hand, who quickly withdrew it with an indignant exclamation.  
  
  


\- We never talked about it and I don't see why we should start now. It means nothing and we both know it.

\- To me, this means something! - Liam answered. - The other day, at my house, it opened my eyes, ok? I stopped lying to myself, so you won't start now!

\- You don't love me, Liam, - Theo sighed, tired of this discussion.

\- What if I always had feelings for you but didn't want to admit it? - replied the beta. - Didn't it occur to you that I'm a perfect idiot? I was scared when I thought you were going to die, I was madly jealous when you danced with all those girls, I found the least excuse to be with you and the least excuse to kiss you! And frankly, you're a werewolf, you should have noticed how I react when I'm with you!

To punctuate his outburst, he threw a punch in Theo's shoulder, as if Theo was the fool of the story.

"But you've been avoiding me since the beginning of the week," Liam continued annoyed. "So, inevitably, I find myself having to make a pathetic declaration of love to you! If you hadn't run away every time I tried to talk to you, we wouldn't be at this point.

\- So what? We kissed like horny animals and you have concluded that you have feelings for me? - Theo said.

\- We both know very well that it was more than that, and we both know very well that they were never innocent kisses, - said Liam, by laying Theo on the bed, positioning itself above him.

This time, when he kissed Theo, Theo knew it was true, and gave up completely, drawing Liam close to him and actually kissing him in turn. He could feel how sincere and passionate Liam was. He heard his irregular heartbeat and smelled of satisfaction and desire. . Maybe Liam was telling the truth after all.

Liam smiled as Theo kissed him with more passion and more intensity than he ever had, as if he was letting go of everything he held back from the start. Just a little more and you know he would lose all this - what a fool.

So he said goodbye to all his doubts and well-prepared apologies and kissed Theo simply because he loved him.


	11. Bonus Kiss

  


**Kiss bonus. The reflection.**

Damn, this pack meeting was never going to end, Liam thought impatiently, barely keeping himself from stepping on his foot. Half an hour of Scott chattering about the wendigo gang that had just arrived in town, about the means of stopping them, the importance of stopping them and the need to do so without getting hurt in the process. Scott was worse than his physics teacher!

He turned his head and caught Theo's amused gaze. Obviously, his impatience amused his boyfriend a lot. However, his laughing appearance had the merit of relaxing Liam a little, who completely stopped listening to Scott - like most of the pack, actually. Lydia was doing her manicure again, Stiles was texting (or playing Candy Crush Saga, for all he might know), Malia was asleep, and Liam suspected that Corey and Mason were happily playing hand games under the table.

Liam stifled a smile - not very appropriate for the situation - as he remembered another similar situation. Who would have thought that this kind of situation would have made him realize he was attracted to Theo? Still, it was at that moment that everything became clear, the moment he stopped thinking. And when they had to separate, he knew he loved him. It would surely have happened again, but it had been, perhaps because Theo was almost dead, or perhaps because he simply gave up and stopped questioning.

They'd been dating for two months now, and Liam couldn't help but be happy he stopped torturing his mind. Now he had Theo living in his house and kissing him whenever he wanted. They made love passionately, or simply huddled together and rocked in the moment. They laughed together and quarreled like an old couple. Liam liked everything.

Of course, not everything was perfect. Sometimes they quarreled, sometimes they were always clumsy with each other; It had taken some time to convince Theo that Liam was sincere and had real feelings for him, just as it had taken him some time to get used to the idea of falling in love with Theo Raeken, of all people. But it was normal and Liam was happy with their bond that grew day by day.

The only downside was that no one knew about the two of them, but Liam wasn't sure it was a bad thing. On the one hand, he didn't like the idea of hiding. On the other hand, Theo was his, all his, and they didn't share their relationship with anyone else. Sure they should have talked about it someday, but at that point… 

He suppressed a groan of discontent as Scott gave Theo the surveillance shift he would be taking just outside the pack meeting. Seriously? Annoyed, he folded his arms and met the gaze of a no less irritated Theo. Liam had planned to take Theo home and do all kinds of activities with him, but everything was ruined, and all because of Scott!

Now that he had admitted he was in love with Theo, he thought he could kiss his boyfriend as soon as he wished and without having to look for any specific reason, but no, the world was against him and prevented him.

\- Then shall we go? - Alec asked, the newcomer to the group, impatient, who was to join Theo.

Theo gave him an exasperated roll of eyes.

\- If we can’t help it.

"Come back alive," Liam said.

Theo smiled at him.

\- Don't worry, Puppy, I'll keep bothering you for a while.

"Great," Liam replied sarcastically, when in reality he was just worried.

Theo leaned over and they kissed. It was their way of saying "hello", "take care of yourself" and "I'll miss you." It was a pure reflection - and they both froze when they realized they had just kissed in front of the whole pack, because they had completely forgotten they were with them.

They walked away from each other, horrified. The whole pack stared at them, speechless.

\- What? - Scott said.

\- I knew it! - Mason exclaimed.

\- I was sure of it! - Corey let go at the same time, before adding, - You owe me twenty bucks. I told you they would end up betraying themselves.

\- What? - Scott said.

"No way" Malia muttered. “Tell me it’s a nightmare”

Stiles shook his head in disbelief. Lydia looked as superior as she already suspected it.

\- What? - Scott repeated, completely petrified.

Liam grabbed Theo's hand and let out a resigned sigh.

\- At least now I can  _really_ kiss you whenever I want. -

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks to everyone who spent some time reading this. I also wanted thank again AsphodeleSauvage who give me permission to translate this amazing fic! 
> 
> To the ones who are following my personal fic - The Boy I Shouldn't Want To Love - I want you to know that no, I’m not dead, I’m just having a kind of writer's block, but I will definitely post the last chapter very soon, definitely before the end of the year!
> 
> Thanks for reading xxx


End file.
